I made a little circuit around Prince William and Fairfax counties today. The
highlights were:
Occoquan NWR: American Tree Sparrows and a Fox Sparrow. No luck in finding
the Sedge Wren that had been reported by others.
Belmont Bay: An adult Lesser Black Backed Gull mixed in with herring and ring
billed. A few Greater Black Backed Gulls as well, A single Female Goldeneye,
Belted Kingfisher, Hooded merganser, ruddy, and bufflehead, as well as Gadwall.
Pohick Bay: The (possible hybrid) Eurasian Widgeon, tons of other ducks:
Redheads, Ring necked Ducks, Hooded and common mergansers, Gadwall, American
Widgeon, Ruddies, Canvasback, Pintail, Lesser and at least three greater
scaup, coots, pie billed grebe, and Mallards. I also noticed the green on the
back of the head of the Eurasian Widgeon. One other oddity of note... there
was a female Redhead that was partially leuistic. The back part of its head
was white with whitish areas on part of its chest as well.
Dyke Marsh:
Good flocks of redhead, ruddies and ring necked ducks - with a few Northern
Shovelers mixed -- in open areas off of the picnic area, Mallards Black Ducks,
Gadwall and Am Widgeon on the ice.
The highlight here was the Greater White Fronted Goose -- I had not seen recent
posts so I was not sure if it was still around. Took a while to find. It was
mixed in with the large flock of Canada Geese in the golf course across the
street. I finally found it on my third time through the flock. With the river
mostly ice - -the geese may stay over in the golf course for a while.
Overall --- a great day.
Bill
https://www.flickr.com/photos/73831614@N00/16069389678/
